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Guidelines & Procedures

Working with the Foundation for World Education

Currently the Foundation for World Education (FWE) has a board of eight voting members. All grants are made at one of the board’s annual meetings based on review of applicants’ grant proposals.

  • Grant proposals from Auroville: All grant proposals originating in Auroville and their subsequent reports must be channeled via the Auroville Project Coordination Group. The board does not consider grants from Auroville that do not come through the PCG.
  • All other grant proposals: Any proposals not originating in Auroville should be sent directly to the board secretary.
  • Non-profit status: All proposals must be presented to the FWE through the auspices of a U.S. registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. If your organization is submitting a proposal for the first time, please include a copy of its nonprofit tax exemption status–or let us know the name and contact info of the nonprofit organization that will facilitate for you should your grant request be approved. Please contact us if you don’t know the name of a nonprofit organization that can help you, since we may be able to suggest one.
  • International organizations: If your organization is not registered in the U.S., please additionally attach certification of its ability to receive foreign exchange funds from the U.S.
  • Due date for new grant applications: Proposals generally need to be received by January 7th of any year in order to be considered for that year. Depending on available funds, grant applications received at other times of the year will be considered at the next available board meeting, dates of which fluctuate.

Guidelines for grant applications to the Foundation for World Education

The Foundation for World Education invites grant applications from individuals, programs and groups who share the vision for a transformed world espoused by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.

Proposal format

Please use the following format for your proposal.

  • Summary/overview: Name of your project /program and brief explanation of what you plan to do?
  • Need/rationale and Project’s contribution: What is the significance of your project/program in relation to your organization’s mission and the work of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother? What is the duration and extent of influence your project will have in the field of Integral Yoga/Education. How, if at all, is your project related to other organizations or individuals currently engaged in this work?
  • Program implementation and schedule: Explain how you will implement this project. Include a timeline and statement of the future viability of this project. Is it self-sustaining after initial seed money from the FWE, or will there be future requests to support the program?
  • Personnel: Names and qualifications of groups and individuals directly responsible for project / program.
  • Current and future funding: List sources of income and/or other funding sources for your project.
  • Budget: Detail income and expenditure. Make sure that the budgeted amounts are specific and not estimated. Create a line item budget, including the following:
    1. Salaries, if any, for project holders or, in the case of Auroville applicants, a budget for “maintenance”.
    2. Cost of materials.
    3. Fees for any professional services.
    4. Other categories to be added as necessary.

Please note: Except in very rare circumstances, the FWE does not give grants towards project holder salary or for maintenance for individual Aurovilians.  

  • Final and progress reports: Indicate method proposed to evaluate effectiveness of the project/program while in progress.  A written final report must be submitted within one year of completion of the grant or grant renewal. Indicate name of person who will prepare this final report.

Guidelines for Grant Evaluation and Final Report

  • State the original project title or purpose, the dates of the project duration, and the amount of the FWE grant.
  • In less than one page discuss the project’s outcome answering whichever of the following questions seems appropriate. Keep in mind that this page is for the narrative account (save the financial information for the following question).
    • What was learned?
    • What was particularly successful?
    • What role did FWE financing play in relationship to other grants or fundraising?
    • What is being done to follow up on the project?
  • Give a financial report answering whichever of the following questions are appropriate. This can be done in the form of a table.
    • Expenditures:  How were the funds used?
    • List of grants from others and in-kind contributions.
    • Any remaining funds. Note: The FWE policy on unspent funds is that they are returned within a calendar year of the completion of the project.
  • When possible, send photos or other documentation that help bring the project to life.
  • Did you achieve original goals?

A PDF version of the proposal format is available here.

Contact information

To request more information or to submit proposals and reports, please contact us.

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